Expectations shrink in hunt for Saddam's weapons

[Silversocal]

USATODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-09-25-wmd-usat_x.htm

WASHINGTON — U.S. search teams have dramatically scaled back their expectations for finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. They are now looking for a relatively small volume of chemical munitions that might be buried there, according to three U.S. intelligence officials.

Saddam's suspected biological weapons, if they existed, would have a relatively short shelf life, and most or all could now be useless, these officials said. And Kay's team has found no evidence that Iraq shipped illegal weapons out of the country — to Syria, for example — to avoid detection by U.N. inspectors, as some administration officials suggested earlier this year.

Officials in Kay's 1,400-member Iraq Survey Group have also concluded, based on documents found in Iraq and information provided by captured members of Saddam's regime, that Iraq did destroy some of its chemical and biological weapons stockpile as the regime claimed before the U.S.-led war.

Saddam apparently decided not to disclose the destruction of his chemical and biological weapons because he wanted potential enemies to think he still had them. U.S. intelligence analysts speculate that Saddam concluded that the weapons would do him little good against a modern force such as the U.S. Army, but that doubt about whether he still had them might deter enemies.

[ThreeCatNight]

1. Those are not the WMDs you are looking for.....

move along....
Well isn't that convienent.
I am so damn tired of this dog and pony show. Why is the public (well most) so damn stupid that they can't see through *'s BS?

[JPace]

2. Even if some are found in the future....

it will be too little too late. People are
waking up to the fact that invading and
occupying Iraq is draining this country
of its blood and treasure. Americans don't
like their young people being forced to
occupy an unfriendly country and be live
targets for all who hate America.

The AWOL regime overstepped what would be
accepted by Americans. Its the usual repug
theme to overreach when in power.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

3. Gotta love that propaganda!

Check out the spin:

Officials in Kay's 1,400-member Iraq Survey Group have also concluded, based on documents found in Iraq and information provided by captured members of Saddam's regime, that Iraq did destroy some of its chemical and biological weapons stockpile as the regime claimed before the U.S.-led war.

Saddam apparently decided not to disclose the destruction of his chemical and biological weapons because he wanted potential enemies to think he still had them.

So which is it? Did the regime claim it had destroyed the weapons (as we all know it did), or did it decide not to disclose the destruction of its weapons?

The lies being used to spin this shit are getting so BLATANT that even a freeper should be able to see them!

[newyawker99]

4. Hi Silversocal!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[KharmaTrain]

5. How Much More Has To Come Out???

Over the past couple weeks we've had WhistleAss finally parse that Iraq is not equal to 9/11, Powell admitting Saddam wasn't a threat in early 2001, we've been importing oil to the country with the second largest reserves in the world, imported sand to make concrete in a country that's 75% desert, an $87 billion dollar bill ontop of the billions already spent and many billions more to come, a Congressional "ruling" that Cheney IS still connected to HaLLiburton despite all those no-bid contract...and now the Kay charade has not only turned up nothing, but proved Blix right all along. Isn't that enough to get this lazy pro-Rove media off it's ass?

We're not talking speculation or conspiracy here, friends, these are facts, and those that we know of. It's no surprise to a vast majority of us and is now becoming obvious to the entire world. And how about the U.N.? Isn't it time some nation stepped forward and said "Enough" and started asking for investigation by the Hague into the causes and the current situation in Iraq.

These days I look at them "Muricans" who played rah-rah in the run-up to this invasion and called me "Unpatriotic" with the look of a Cheshire Cat. These morons aren't so macho these days and it's getting harder and harder for them to defend their monkey-boy and his corrupt regime. But this is only the start, we can't stop...we need to speak up loudly wherever we can to expose the lies and corruption that have cost American lives...not just the ones that came home in Pine Boxes, but the servicemen and women and their families that are stuck with the morass in Iraq and those whose lives are totally ruined with physical and mental injuries. Of course these are never thought of by the Chickenhawks or the media whores.

[peterh]

6. Keep it coming…keep it coming…

You’re right in fact that it really isn’t much of a surprise to many of us here, but these are items that need to be front and center constantly. I’m not particular in how it’s headlined as long as the underlying message is that they don’t exist and haven’t for a long time. It takes a while for some things to penetrate the mind of a dittohead. And beyond that, we all know about the short memory of our populace in general.